The Face of an Angel
Acts 6:8-15
"Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel."
St. Stephen did not only serve, wait on tables and fed the hungry, but he also witnessed and worked for the Great Commission, perhaps even in ‘the ministry of the Word’. Brothers and sisters, let us be filled by God’s grace and power, that we may also perform great wonders and signs in our own way among the people where God has placed us (v. 8). This is to fulfil God's desire to bring more and more people, sinners like us, into His loving embrace (I Tim 2:4; II Peter 3:9) He said to the prophet Ezekiel, "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? (Eze 18:23)." The Apostle Stephen preached in the temple courts empowered by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, that the people find it irresistible (v. 10) and despite the false witnessess, he remained pure, beautiful, and blessed in their sight, a countenance similar to an angel (v. 15). In our daily prayers we ask God to grant us favour in the sight of those around us, this is for God to be glorified in the excellence of our works, the integrity in our dealings, and the compassion in relating. Our LORD encouraged his disciples in navigating through the society to "therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves", in many ways He has also sent us, as He did his apostles, like St. Stephen facing the Sanhedrin, "like sheep among wolves" (Matt 10:16). We ought to be wise and discerning as much as we are innocent and pure, St. Paul reminds us that while we are in the world, we do not deal as the world does (~II Cor 10:3-5), and thankfully, God's Spirit helps us do just that and so we rest in Him and trust that we will do well, and if, or more like 'when', as the LORD foretold, "when you are brought before the synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say. For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say (Luke 12:12)." The Living Life writer reminds us that "when we try to spread the Gospel, we may face opposition from others, but we do not need to feel insecure about what to say. As we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will receive the wisdom we need to address those who oppose the Lord." And He is continually interceding for us (Heb 7:25), as He did for the apostles, I believe it is the same prayer, back in the quiet place, "I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate Myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth (John 17:14-19)." Thank You LORD Jesus, God Holy Spirit, we humbly ask, please cover us and guide us always and everywhere You lead us into.
"Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel."
St. Stephen did not only serve, wait on tables and fed the hungry, but he also witnessed and worked for the Great Commission, perhaps even in ‘the ministry of the Word’. Brothers and sisters, let us be filled by God’s grace and power, that we may also perform great wonders and signs in our own way among the people where God has placed us (v. 8). This is to fulfil God's desire to bring more and more people, sinners like us, into His loving embrace (I Tim 2:4; II Peter 3:9) He said to the prophet Ezekiel, "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? (Eze 18:23)." The Apostle Stephen preached in the temple courts empowered by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, that the people find it irresistible (v. 10) and despite the false witnessess, he remained pure, beautiful, and blessed in their sight, a countenance similar to an angel (v. 15). In our daily prayers we ask God to grant us favour in the sight of those around us, this is for God to be glorified in the excellence of our works, the integrity in our dealings, and the compassion in relating. Our LORD encouraged his disciples in navigating through the society to "therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves", in many ways He has also sent us, as He did his apostles, like St. Stephen facing the Sanhedrin, "like sheep among wolves" (Matt 10:16). We ought to be wise and discerning as much as we are innocent and pure, St. Paul reminds us that while we are in the world, we do not deal as the world does (~II Cor 10:3-5), and thankfully, God's Spirit helps us do just that and so we rest in Him and trust that we will do well, and if, or more like 'when', as the LORD foretold, "when you are brought before the synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say. For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say (Luke 12:12)." The Living Life writer reminds us that "when we try to spread the Gospel, we may face opposition from others, but we do not need to feel insecure about what to say. As we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will receive the wisdom we need to address those who oppose the Lord." And He is continually interceding for us (Heb 7:25), as He did for the apostles, I believe it is the same prayer, back in the quiet place, "I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate Myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth (John 17:14-19)." Thank You LORD Jesus, God Holy Spirit, we humbly ask, please cover us and guide us always and everywhere You lead us into.
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